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Quality of Life

Near Nature. Near Perfect. With four distinct seasons, and surrounded by the natural beauty of dozens of lakes and rivers for boating and fishing, as well as mountains for skiing, hiking, and biking. With 76 lakes, 35 public and private golf courses, 5 ski resorts, and miles of trails, Spokane is a best kept secret and a recreational paradise.

Big town amenities like a symphony, a Best of Broadway series, great restaurants and retail shopping, are complimented by small town friendliness and lack of traffic. A growing arts and entertainment scene supports concerts, an International Film Festival and First Fridays each month which are a celebration of art and entertainment at venues throughout town. As a college town with six universities and colleges, Spokane draws interesting speakers and exciting team sports.

Spokane Public Schools, the largest school district in eastern Washington and the second largest in the state, offers a portfolio of school options, including STEM programs. Private school options are also available throughout the region. Central Valley School District, Mead School District, and Spokane Public Schools District all received blue ribbon awards and ranked in the top 33% of 2,800 districts nationwide in Expansion Management’s Education Quotient.

The average Spokane commute is just 21 minutes, with none of the traffic problems found in larger cities. Great public transportation is available.

Outside Magazine rated Spokane a Best Town in 2013, Road Runners Club of America named Spokane a 2014 Outstanding Runner Friendly Community, and Spokane was recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community.

The Spokane International Airport services over three million people annually and is served by six different airlines offering non-stop national service to eleven locations and one-stop service to a number of cities around the globe.

Summers are warm and dry. Annual precipitation averages 16.5”, including 26” of snowfall. Average temperatures range from 69 in August to 27 in January. Spokane enjoys over 260 clear days each year.

And all this comes at an affordable cost of living. The median home price is $174,200. There is no state income tax. Water is sourced from the Spokane aquifer and utility costs are low.

GSI’s Economic Development activities would not be possible without the support of our significant partner, Spokane County; other municipal investors- City of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Cheney, Airway Heights, Deer Park; and Washington State Department of Commerce.